NHL - Devils snatch last-gasp win

Eurosport - Sat, 04 Apr 09:20:00 2009

Zach Parise scored a game-winning goal in extra time to give the struggling New Jersey Devils a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

New Jersey Devils' Travis Zajac (19) celebrates a goal against Tampa Bay Lightning - 0

Parise's wrister at 1:21 into overtime snapped the Devils' six-game losing streak and pulled the team within two points of second place in the Eastern Conference.

"It was a great pass by (Travis Zajac, pictured), it was unbelievable," Parise said. "(He) yelled at me to go there, so I did."

Parise added two assists of his own before scoring the winner, his team-leading 43rd goal of the year.

All-time game-winning goaltender Martin Brodeur conceded three goals but made seven saves after replacing Kevin Weekes, who was injured in the second period.

Brodeur was honored by the home crowd during a pre-game ceremony that celebrated his record-breaking 552nd win in goal last month.

"It's been nice, but we want to just get back to winning," the 36-year-old said. "I don't like the attention that much - it's been great and it's been overwhelming."

Tampa Bay (24-36-18) winger Martins Karsums levelled the score at 4-4 with a wrister at 14:06 in the third to send the contest into overtime.

The Lightning took an early 2-0 lead on goals from Evgeny Artyukhin and rookie Steven Stamkos, who notched his seventh goal in nine games.

Jamie Langenbrunner scored twice for the Devils (48-26-4), putting the team ahead 3-2 at 18:29 in the second and 4-3 at 10:35 in the third.

Brendan Shanahan and Jay Pandolfo scored New Jersey's first two goals, while Ryan Malone tallied his 26th of the year for Tampa Bay, which has lost its last five matches.

Lightning leading goal scorer Vincent Lecavalier missed the game after having season-ending wrist surgery earlier in the day.

More results:

Washington 4-5 (OT) Buffalo

Philadelphia 8-5 Toronto

Florida 1-3 Atlanta

Minnesota 4-0 Calgary

Chicago 3-1 Nashville

Reuters

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